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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26807833">Apple Butter (Part One)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/skymageariel/pseuds/skymageariel'>skymageariel</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>31 days of The Dragon Prince [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Dragon Prince</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Autumn, F/M, Filler, Fluff, Fun, Gen, Modern AU, corn maze, fall - Freeform, pumpkin patch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:34:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,095</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26807833</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/skymageariel/pseuds/skymageariel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Wanting to make up for past mistakes with a fun surprise, Callum and Claudia venture to the local pumpkin patch in search of a gift for Rayla. Things take a turn for the worst when Rayla and Soren show up for reasons unknown. Insistent on keeping this gift a surprise, Callum and Claudia spend the day hiding from Soren and Rayla. Chaos ensues, corn mazes are solved, and pumpkins are patched in this thrilling part one of a pumpkin patch au.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rayllum (The Dragon Prince)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>31 days of The Dragon Prince [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946767</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Apple Butter (Part One)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“So, what are we doing here again?” Claudia asked as she put her car in park.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can’t tell anyone, but Rayla really likes the apple butter they sell here,” Callum replied. The two stepped out onto the grass at their local pumpkin patch, leaves crunching beneath their feet. The place was great- it had a produce stand, corn maze, and acres of pumpkins to choose from. Fall was in full swing, and Callum wanted to make it special. “They sell it at the grocery store down the street, but according to her, it's not the same.” They walked up to the produce stand, looking at all the things for sale. Everything was locally grown and made. Squash, corn, pumpkins, jars of jam, jellies, and of course, apple butter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a beautiful day. Clouds were rolling in, covering the blue sky like a blanket. A brisk chill blew across the land as they browsed the produce, sending chills down Callum’s spine. The scent of pumpkin spice pastries filled the air, making him smile. This was a perfect day to get the perfect gift.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They reached the stand, admiring the array of giant vegetables for sale. Callum smiled at the tiny pumpkins next to a huge squash that was easily the size of his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a moment, staring at something in the distance, Claudia asked, “So, like, this apple butter thing. Is it a surprise?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, why?” Callum asked, absentmindedly looking through the packs of pumpkin seeds for sale. Claudia tapped his shoulder, pointing at a piece of junk van parking down the lot. The doors opened, and of all people, Soren and Rayla stepped out. “No way!” Callum groaned. “She can’t see me- we have to move, now!” Callum grabbed Claudia’s wrist, dragging her across the lawn and into the corn maze nearby. They dove into the stalks of corn, ducking behind the wall of dusty, dry crops.  Callum peered through the corn, watching Rayla’s and Soren’s path. They stood at the front of the stand. Just talking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is some luck, huh?” Claudia laughed. “What are we gonna do?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Callum whispered, “But I can’t let the surprise be ruined.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Claudia crouched down to his level, trying to see what he could.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s not buying the apple butter,” she noted. “What’s she doing here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course she’s not gonna buy it, Soren’s right there. This apple butter thing is her best kept secret.” Callum paused and tilted his head, confused. “Why is Soren here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Beats me,” Claudia shrugged. “It doesn’t look like they’re leaving that stand anytime soon. If you ask me, I think we should have some fun waiting them out. Wanna try the maze?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just give it a second,” Callum waved her off, watching as Soren picked up various veggies. The two talked for a few minutes, before Claudia interrupted again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s just go through the maze, they’ll be gone by the time we come back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think we have a choice,” Callum pointed to Soren and Rayla, who were making their way to the maze entrance, holding a tiny parcel. “They’re on their way here, we need to move.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Move where?” she asked, looking over at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Into the maze, of course,” he said, making a mad dash for the path beside him. As they turned, running in no particular direction, they had no time to make any smart decisions. They quickly became lost, heading farther and farther into the outskirts of the maze. Their feet pounded over the dry dirt. The cool air made Callum’s eyes water, and the wind made his nose start running. He ran until his lungs started to sting, turning in every direction.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you even know where we’re going?” Claudia asked, out of breath as they ran.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not a clue!” Callum called back. “She just can’t see me here!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why not!” Claudia stopped, slouched over and breathing hard.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because!” he replied, chest heaving, “It’s a surprise!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you should just cut your losses this time around and-“</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No! It has to be a surprise.” Callum interrupted, surveying the paths they had to choose from. “Where do we go from here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, judging our proximity to the edge of the maze,” Claudia said, looking at the trees on the other side of the wall, “We could wait it out here for a bit. Wait until they leave.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We could,” Callum considered. Though as the words left his mouth, an aggressive breeze rolled across the field, and he pulled his jacket tighter around him. “Yeah, no, we can’t stay. It’s way too cold.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, then where do we go?” Claudia asked, crossing her arms to keep warm. “And more importantly, how do we make sure we don’t run into Soren and Rayla?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Isn’t there a trick to mazes? Always turn left, right?” Callum turned, surveying the options they had. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We could just cut through the corn,” Claudia shrugged.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s against the rules.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You asked.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s just go left,” Callum decided, marching forward. Claudia looked between the two paths before saying;</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood-“</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No.” They brushed past stalks of corn, wandering through. Callum turned left every single time, walking briskly, with purpose. “Why are you in such a rush?” Claudia finally asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because we need to get out of here, circle back, get the freaking apple butter, and then get off the farm before Rayla knows I’m here.” Callum said, matter of fact, pulling his jacket tighter around him. The fall chill was getting colder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why does this have to be a surprise so bad?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because-“ Callum froze, eyes wide.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shh!” He pointed to his ear and mouthed </span>
  <em>
    <span>listen! </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...So what are we doing here again?” came Rayla’s voice from somewhere behind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Rayla, I already told you,” Soren replied, footsteps getting closer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go,” Callum whispered, speeding the pace. The two walked together in silence until Rayla’s and Soren’s voices disappeared in the wind. After a bit, Callum said, “If we can figure out why they’re here, maybe we can figure out how to outmaneuver them. Did Soren mention anything about going today?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not that I can think of,” Claudia said. “He normally helps run errands on Saturdays, so maybe he’s here for some produce.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But when we saw them walking, all either of them were holding was that tiny parcel.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe we think about why Rayla’s here, then,” she suggested. “Did she mention anything about this to you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No.” Callum’s brow furrowed. “She didn’t. If I knew she was gonna be here, we’d be here together.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why aren’t you here together?” Claudia asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We talked about it but- well- it’s a long story. We’re close to the end, I think. The corn walls are getting thinner.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She laughed. “Heh. Corn walls.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The exit of the maze opened up to a pumpkin patch. Well, “patch” was an understatement. The field stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with orange and green under a deep fog. The clouds in the sky had lowered and closed off the sun. Not a single shadow was cast on the ground, and a cool mist settled across the air. The view was beautiful, but they didn’t have the time to take it all in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We gotta move, Soren and Rayla weren't far behind,” Callum said, drawing his hood. “It’s time for stealth mode.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re such a nerd,” Claudia chuckled, as she pulled up her own hood. The two descended into the pumpkin patch. “We shouldn’t go far from here. If we wait for them to pass us, then we can quickly sneak right back into the corn maze.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sounds solid enough,” Callum replied, “But where do we hide until they get here? It’s an open field.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If we have our hoods up and we don’t face the entrance, they won’t have a clue who we are.” Claudia put an arm around his shoulder, leading him away from the entrance. Footsteps sounded from the corn maze- Rayla and Soren had found the exit. Claudia and Callum split apart, pretending to look at different pumpkins on the ground, making sure to keep their faces covered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hah! I beat you,” Callum heard Rayla yell, her voice echoing across the plains.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” Soren asked, out of breath, “No way! You cheated.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did not!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did too!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I won, fair and square. You owe me a muffin! Now let’s not forget why we’re here,” Rayla said. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right. We need to stay on mission.” Soren and Rayla split up, searching the ground for the perfect pumpkin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mission?” Callum wondered aloud.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Psst!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Claudia got his attention. She gestured to the other two kids, who’d wandered out into the field by quite a margin. Grabbing his wrist, she pulled him back into the maze. But just before they disappeared again, Callum looked out on the field once more. This time, though, Rayla was in it. He smiled sadly, wishing he could be laughing down there with her. If only he weren’t so dumb. If only he weren’t-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dude, quit staring, we have to go!” Claudia reminded him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right!” Callum snapped his head away. “Right, let's go.” They ducked back into the stupid corn maze, back to stepping on dry dirt that made Callum sneeze. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, why are you really here?” Claudia asked, lowering her hood as they walked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Callum sniffed. The cold was getting to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I saw that look. You wish you were down there with her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just wanna get her this stupid apple butter as a surprise. I can’t mess that up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, no, that’s not it. Tell me what’s really up.” Claudia stopped walking, facing the boy next to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s nothing,” he insisted. Claudia shook her head. In one swift motion, she pulled Callum’s jacket sleeve from his arm, causing him to spin around. “What was that for!” he shouted, coming to a stop. Claudia pulled the other sleeve off his arm, taking off his jacket completely. “Claudia, what the hell?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You get this back when you tell me what’s going on,” Claudia teased, holding Callum’s jacket above his head, just out of reach.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh c’mon, that’s not fair!” he shivered, jumping to try and reach it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just tell me!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Give me back my jacket, it’s freezing!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why do you care about this surprise so much!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because Rayla and I got into a fight last night!” Callum finally admitted, hugging his arms in an attempt to keep warm. “I messed up, and she got mad at me. Rightfully so, don’t get me wrong.” He sniffed, his nose numb from the cold. “And I thought to myself that if I could get her something special, that’d be a step towards making it up to her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What were you fighting about?” Claudia asked, dangling his jacket higher.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Give it back!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tell me!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been busy all week, and I forgot to go to her dad’s birthday party like I promised. I felt awful once I realized, but by the time I got to her house, the party was over. She was fuming, and now I wanna make it up to her. Now please give me my jacket back!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Was that so hard?” Claudia teased, dropping the jacket onto his face. He pulled it on, pulling it tight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why did you need to know?” Callum asked, stifling another sneeze.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You could have talked that one out, man. This is an extreme.” Claudia said, walking forward again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is a step in the right direction,” he countered. “A gesture of good will, so she knows I’m really sorry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you really sorry?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then tell her!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I will! But apple butter would help.” Callum sneezed, and Claudia shot him a look.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You got yourself sick over mashed apples?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sick.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>They finally emerged from the corn maze after a few minutes of walking to find that the farmer’s stand had closed for the day. Callum groaned, walking up to the now empty stand. He slouched, dejected.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And we didn’t even get the stupid apples,” he sniffed. “What now?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here’s a plan-“ Claudia said, taking off her jacket and placing it over his shoulders. “Let’s get you home, get you some hot tea and some vitamins,” she said, placing her hands on his shoulders, guiding him back to her car. But just as they turned around-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Callum?” Rayla called, standing in the entrance to the corn maze. She was holding the same parcel from before. Soren beside her, holding a pumpkin the size of his head. “What are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks so much for reading! part two will be from rayla’s and soren’s perspective- it will be up tomorrow!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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